“You can’t,” Dee says. “There is no fixing this.” All the fight has left her and she is just staring at the table.

“But Max is immune. Surely we can find someone to fix this,” I say.

Dee just shakes her head. “Not for those already infected. I don’t think they will ever come back.” She glances at the door and I wonder if she was close to Robert.

“Sorry,” Max says.

I blink. Of all the inadequate words…

“Don’t be,” Dee snaps. “Somehow to think that this was an attack makes me feel a little better, that it was done for a purpose, no matter how misguided. But instead you say sorry, as though you did it on a whim.” She looks away in disgust. I can see why she would think this but I can’t accept it. If anything I am comforted that Max may realise that he…